NEWS

Switch From iPhone? Here's How To Deregister iMessage

Apple has created a web tool for users to deregister their phone numbers from its proprietary iMessage service.

SHOW TRANSCRIPT

Making the switch from an iPhone to any of the hundreds of other smartphone brands can be a bit of a hassle.

Especially if you've tied your data into many of the services for iOS — calendar, mail, health and messages to name a few. (Video via Apple)

But it's that last one — messages — that's been the biggest hassle. Users leaving behind their iPhones for something else would sometimes fail to receive messages from their iPhone-toting friends.

When iPhone users send other registered iPhone users a message, it's sent via Apple's proprietary messaging service, known as iMessage. But if a user makes the switch from iPhone and forgets to disable iMessage, other iPhones will still try to send those texts to the user via iMessage.

And, as you probably guessed, Apple's iMessage service isn't compatible with Android, Windows Phone or any number of other mobile operating systems. (Video via Phandroid)

Now it's a bit easier to make the switch. Apple has created a special support page for deregistering phone numbers from iMessage.

Enter your phone number, receive a confirmation code, enter said confirmation code and click submit. The company also reminds users if they've still got their old iPhone handy, they can deregister via the phone's Settings app — you just slide the switch on iMessage.